EEG Study of Patients Losing, Regaining Consciousness Under General Anesthesia

A PNAS Early Edition paper by Patrick Purdon and colleagues has been making a splash in the news. In "Electroencephalogram signatures of loss and recovery of consciousness from propofols," the researchers report specific EEG signatures that indicate when patients lose and regain consciousness under the general anesthetic drug propofol. The study has been covered by ScienceNOW, Time and Boston.com among other outlets.